Association between Milk Intake and Incident Stroke among Japanese Community Dwellers: The Iwate-KENCO Study

Nutrients. 2021 Oct 25;13(11):3781. doi: 10.3390/nu13113781.

Abstract

We aimed to evaluate the association between the milk consumption and incident stroke in a Japanese population, where milk consumption is lower than that of Western countries. In total, 14,121 participants (4253 men and 9868 women) aged 40-69 years, free from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) were prospectively followed for 10.7 years. Participants were categorized into four groups according to the milk intake frequency obtained from a brief-type self-administered diet questionnaire. The adjusted HRs of total stroke, ischemic stroke and haemorrhagic stroke associated with milk intake frequency were calculated using the Cox proportional hazards model. During the follow-up, 478 stroke cases were detected (208 men and 270 women). Compared to women with a milk intake of <2 cups/week, those with an intake of 7 to <12 cups/week had a significantly low risk of ischemic stroke in a model adjusting CVD risk factors; the HR (95% CI) was 0.53 (0.32-0.88). No significant associations were found in men. This study suggested that milk intake of 7 to <12 cups/week decreased the risk of ischemic stroke in Japanese women. Milk intake of about 1 to <2 cups/day may be effective in the primary prevention of ischemic stroke in a population with low milk intake.

Keywords: Japanese population; milk intake; prospective cohort study; stroke.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Diet / statistics & numerical data*
  • Diet Surveys
  • Drinking
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Independent Living / statistics & numerical data
  • Japan / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Milk / statistics & numerical data*
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Prospective Studies
  • Stroke / epidemiology*
  • Stroke / etiology
  • Stroke / prevention & control
  • Surveys and Questionnaires